A leader makes decisions. This fills me with some dread, but it is super important to note this before you lead. Let me take it up a step: a leader is responsible for every decision, and they need to be passionate about what they lead, know what they want, and be clear about the decisions they need to make to get there.
The difficult part, which I sometimes find hard to integrate into the statements above, is that a leader does not need to do everything nor know the end at the beginning. And they most definitely do not need to make all the decisions along the way.
Wait…?
Think of a movie director, often the leader responsible for creating a finished film. They lead a big group of people to make a feature film.
Take it from me, there are too many jobs to do to make a film, so not only can they not do all the jobs, but they don’t even need to know how to do them. What they do need to do is decide who are the people to do the jobs for them and cheer them on as they do it.
A director rarely knows the end result at the beginning. They may begin with just an idea, which they share with a writer, an actor, a producer, who will then help them make the next step. What they need to do is decide whether each suggested next step will help them get there or not and then thank each contributor for their input.
And they do not need to make all the decisions. In fact, it is best if they don’t. Most films are made infinitely better by listening to the suggested decisions of others, like writers and actors and producers and special effect crews and so on. However, what they must do is make a decision about who they listen to, decide if they agree or not, and then point out that they are listening and how it has shaped what they do.
Ultimately, the best leaders take responsibility for every decision and continually praise the team around them, pointing out that they could not have gotten to the end without them.
So, repeat after me:
- I am a leader, and I make decisions.
But…
- I do not need to know how to do every job in order to lead, but I do need to make the decisions about who I include to help me.
- I do not need to know how to get to the end at the beginning, but I do need to make the decisions as we travel toward it.
- I do not need to make all the decisions, but I do need to decide who I listen to and if I agree with their decision.
